Photo: AFP
Two Florida pastors were arrested after peacefully protesting the removal of a "Black History Matters" street mural in St. Petersburg.
According to Fox 13 Tampa Bay, Rev. Andrew Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church and Rev. Benedict Atherton-Zeman of the Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg were arrested after sitting directly on the mural to block Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) workers from painting over it.
Police said both men were repeatedly warned to move before being arrested and charged with pedestrian obstruction and hindering traffic.
The protest came after Senate Bill 1662 was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in June, prohibiting any form of political expression, including street murals, on state-controlled transportation facilities.
Critics say the law is part of a broader effort by DeSantis and Republican allies to target expressions of diversity and inclusion.
“Let’s be honest. We all know that this is not about traffic safety, this is political,” Delray Beach Vice-Mayor Rob Long said. “It’s a part of the same culture war climate where symbols of inclusion are targeted precisely because they represent acceptance. It’s about erasing the visibility of the LGBTQIA+ people.”
The city of St. Petersburg pushed back against the effort, requesting exemptions for several murals, including Prime-themed and campus artwork. Officials also cited traffic crash data showing no safety issues tied to the murals. Still, FDOT denied the request and moved forward with the erasure.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch released a statement last week in response to the situation.
“These murals are more than paint on pavement. They are expressions of our community identity and values,” Welch said. “As the mayor of our city, I will not risk these essential investments in a fight I don’t believe we can win... But make no mistake, this is not the end of the story. Our response will be strategic, not reactionary.”
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